Condensed Matter & Thermal Physics Group, MPA-10

Transport and Thermodynamics

Filip Ronning - team leader

We focus on performing transport and thermodynamic measurements of strongly correlated electron materials. Specifically, we routinely perform specific heat, resistivity, hall effect, and thermal conductivity measurements. These experiments probe the lowest available excitations in a system, and provide the important guidance needed for determining the nature of the ground state. This is especially useful in systems where the strong correlations between electrons yields novel states of matter. Topics which are of particular current interest include the interplay between magnetism and superconductivity, quantum critical physics, heavy fermion formation, CMR, and unconventional superconductivity. We also provide support for work in other areas where characterization of samples is required. As an example of our interests a few of our current projects include:

-Determining the T-H-x phase diagram in the heavy fermion systems CeM(In,X)₅ (M = Co, Rh, Ir; X = Cd, Hg, Sn)
-Development of thermal conductivity measurements under pressure
-Determining the low temperature properties of non-centrosymmetric superconductor Mg₁₀Ir₁₉B₁₆
-Characterization of newly synthesized UM₂Al₂ (M = Rh, Ru, Os) compounds

We work in collaboration with the entire condensed matter team in MPA-10, several members in STC and the NHMFL, as well as external collaborators from around the world, but have especially close ties with the Materials Synthesis, Materials at Extreme Conditions, and the Very Low Temperature Physics teams within MPA-10.

Experimental equipment include 3 Quantum Design PPMS systems, which range in temperature from 0.3K to 400K, with magnetic fields up to 9 T. We also have several home made cryostats capable of going down to 1.4 K.

MPA-10 TEAMS

Thermal Physics

• Thermoacoustics
• Nonlinear Dynamics
• Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative R&D

Correlated Electrons

• Materials Synthesis and Characterization
• Transport and Thermodynamics
• Novel Materials at Extreme Conditions
• Very Low Temperature Physics

Actinide Chemistry

• Heavy-Element Chemistry

Low Energy Spectroscopy

• Condensed Matter NMR
• Photoelectron Spectroscopy
• Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy
• Mossbauer Spectroscopy
• Neutron Scattering